Anzac 2015

[happy daze john in oz]

April 25th 2015 will see the centenary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli a day to remember the horrors of war and to give thanks to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
As has been the situation for many years now a dawn service will be held at Anzac Cove. At the service the armed forces of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey will be remembered with all the usual ceromonies of wreath laying etc.
Our PM has appointed a special minister to administrate and oversee the preperations for the service.
On past occasions no mention has ever been made of the Merchant Navy yet without them the landings would never have been possible.
The minister has asked the public for input for this speical occasion. Th efollowing letter is one I have forwarded to him, whether he will reply or respond is questionable, but unless I ask I will never know.



To. Hon. M. Ronaldson
Minister assisting P.M. for Anzac Memorials 2015

c.c. Hon. A. AbbottPrime Minister

From. J. Strange
Electorate.

Subject. Anzac Day Commemoration Services 2015

Date. 14/05/14

Minister, you have been entrusted by the Prime minister toset in place the arrangements for the centenary celebrations of the Gallipolilanding of 1915.

Whilst Australia and New Zealand servicemen made up the bulkof numbers arriving at Anzac cove there were a number of other nations andservices involved including UK, Canada and France.

As at previous ceremonies at Anzac Cove there will be alarge representative body of the armed forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force fromboth Australia and New Zealand.

There was however another service, in it’s own way just asimportant, and without which the Gallipoli landing along with many other suchlandings may never have taken place.
I refer to the Merchant navy and crews of the various shipsinvolved in the landings.
The troop ships, hospital ships, supply ships and tankersall crewed by men of the Merchant navy.

Not only did they service the landing at Gallipoli butwithout their efforts many of the actions of both world wars may well have haddifferent outcomes.

Many lives were lost at the battle for Gallipoli, soldierswho gave their all for King and country, but there were also many MerchantSeamen who also at Gallipoli, and other theatres of war who made the ultimatesacrifice.

It would be appropriate if at the service of 2015 mentioncould be made of the efforts of those Merchant seamen who made the landingspossible. The Gallipoli campaign wasnot just from one section of the services, it was a joint effort and allpersons involved should be equally recognised for their involvement and inputinto it.

I make this request minister on behalf of the 33,000Merchant seamen who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the nations theyserved during both world wars.


John Strange

[Evan Lewis]

Not only that John.
For many years now .Beginning with the Whitlam and Keating ,in particular, Govt's. There has been a Tendency to Write-out, Any other involvement in The Gallipoli Landings. The average person here, in Oz. Would have no idea there were others involved. As Anzac Cove ,as it later became known, was where the Australian and N.Z. Force landed.

Unless of course ,they might have seen ,that Disgusting film. The Anzacs . Directed by Peter Weir. Where He , includes a touching Scene .Showing the dead and ,wounded. still under Fire. The Cinema audience ,was Hushed .Then arrives this exhausted ,Runner .And declares
" The British are over there drinking Tea." The audience as though one .Yelled out in disgust . It had the desired effect ,no doubt.
I related this to a fairly Well- Read person that same evening. His response . "What Bullshit !" " There were five V.C's awarded,in the British Sector , that first day

For many years,here. The "Hero of Gallipoli" ,was Private Simpson. " SIMPSON AND THE DONKEY" Lauded every Anzac Day .Never seems to get a mention nowadays. In reality ,the same Simpson, being a British Seaman. From South Shields . Having "Skinned -Out, .Some months earlier . All who went to War, from here .Were Volunteers. As Conscription .Was vehemently opposed ,by the Catholic Archbishop of the Day And to this day . Still considered as 'Fodder for the British Army". 'A fairly recent Quote,of Black Caviar's, Trainer Peter Moody ,prior to that famous Horse , racing ,at Ascot.
In the vernacular, " A pound,to a pinch of S-t" Those volunteers, or the Parents, were British anyway s .

[cappy]

in my sojourn in hmp adelaide ....an ozzie bloke heard myaccent and started carrying on about churchill and gallipoli......callingme a pommie bastard etc he said he had losta brother there and charged towards me ......sadly for him i had a galvanised bucket half filled with water with which i hung arund his head.......but credit to him when a screw came running in to see what was happening he stated he had fell over the bucket ......which was fair enough ....had no more prob after that......regards cappy

[Lou Barron]

It is disgusting the way the Merchant Navy gets ignored I have wrote to our local newspaper a number of times but all I get is your letter as been noted .Pure bloody bullshit they just do not want take notice but I will keep on writing to them

[j.sabourn]

Any sneering remarks by an Aussie about 10 pound poms, the most used answer would be its better than a 20 pound Australian. When asked whaada ya mean, answer was 20 pounds on each ankle.JS

[Charlie Hannah]

From the Bootle forum.


Lusitania survivor (from Bootle) who eventually emigrated to Australia.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/97849674

[happy daze john in oz]

With reference to Gallipoli and Churchill, in his book Gallipoli by Les Carlyon he tell it warts and all about what he did and it is not pleasant reading. He expands on it in his other Book The Great War and having read it I can understand why so many , particularly in the North, hated him.

[Les Woodard]

in my sojourn in hmp adelaide ....an ozzie bloke heard myaccent and started carrying on about churchill and gallipoli......callingme a pommie bastard etc he said he had losta brother there and charged towards me ......sadly for him i had a galvanised bucket half filled with water with which i hung arund his head.......but credit to him when a screw came running in to see what was happening he stated he had fell over the bucket ......which was fair enough ....had no more prob after that......regards cappy

Hey mate when was you in HMP Adelaide as I was there around 67 and still recall that bloody speaker in the cell and every afternoon having to listen to. The Chicken man. Loved the idea of giving us white socks and a black polished floor. Upon entering the cell having to leave one's boots outside and keep our socks on. Ah those where the days hey mate. Sorry for going of track with the thread but thought I would ask.

[cappy]

hello les 59 ......suppose you had the same outfit to wear.....white fustin keks 6 sizes to large same with a blue shirt and ozzie style army hat but no. press studs so it hung round your face and you couldnt see a thing.......fist night in i heard the screws shouting and went to the door to see what wasvoff and he slammed the dor sadly my finger was in the jamb .....after managing to pull it out i had more to worrry about as it was squashed flat ..was in a tiny cell and so blooody hot was sweating all night ........it taught me i didnt like it and wasnt going back again .....and i didnt..... grub for breakfast was boiled barley glutinous mess and being a young man i was starving ......we were not allowed to talk and side valved all the time .....emty your bucket every morning ....down a whole and swab it out ..........no cappy didnt go back again ...and all for the love of a good ozzie girl.......memories also there was another guy from shields in there ......like the song ...wereever you go your sure to find a geordie......but not the best days of my life

[Les Woodard]

I have to agree with Leratty that here in Oz the history of WW11 is somewhat twisted to suit the teller rather than the actual facts. I know when settling here was bombarded with how much Australia and NZ suffered from the war because Churchill would not allow the troops home when Darwin got attacked. How one could compare a few days of war to years of war within the UK has to this day got me beat. What did transpire the way I see it is that those that did go to war went without full knowledge of how they where being conned in all wars. Brave soles they all are and where so do not get me wrong there. What does and always will stick in my craw is the pomp and ceremony of political leaders laying wreaths upon graves and monuments when it is they that caused them to go and be killed. Who can look back on the Iraq war with pride at sending troops there on a fecking lie even when the majority of the population was against it especially here in Oz and to see that anus hole Howard waving them of to war was the biggest insult of the lot. Lets face it the west lot are just hoping for a nice little war to get them out of the crap that they are all in at the moment but are a bit doubtful about taking on a large one. For me all wars are a product of not only ineptitude of politicians but throw in greed to the mix and you have a ideal scenario for one.